SAN JOSE, Calif.— Kai Nelson scored his first hat trick of the season to lead the No. 9 San José State men's water polo team (6-7, 0-0 WCC) to a 20-10 win over UC Merced (0-5, 0-0 WWPA) in the Lee Walton Tournament on Saturday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, the Spartans topped West Valley College, 13-10, in an exhibition matchup.
The Spartans came out strong against UC Merced, shutting out the Bobcats in the first quarter while scoring six goals of their own. The Spartans kept the pressure on in the second, outscoring UC Merced 5-2 behind a two-goal quarter from Aidan Johnson to build a commanding lead. The Bobcats found more success after halftime, outscoring San José State in the third and matching the Spartans goal for goal in the fourth, but the early cushion proved too much to overcome as the Spartans cruised to the 20-10 win.
- Nelson and Johnson led the way offensively, while Péter Kolos Kohári and Sam Keightley each added two goals.
- Johnson dished out three assists, and Samu Biros and Mateja Cetkovic each added two.
- Giancarlo Marquez paced the defense with four exclusions drawn, while Palmer Macbeth chipped in three steals.
- Fifteen of San José State's 20 players found the scoresheet, helping the Spartans reach a season-high 20 goals.
UP NEXT: The Spartans continue play in the BW Invite against No. 14 UC Santa Barbara and No. 19 Saint Mary's on Saturday, Oct. 3, at the SRAC.
#AllSpartans